


A Man Walks Into a Saloon

by chibi_nightowl



Category: Batman (Comics), Nightwing (Comics), Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics)
Genre: Awkward Romance, Cowboys, Crossdressing, Dick Looks Awesome in a Skirt, M/M, On Jason's Side, Saloons, Wild West
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-31
Updated: 2018-02-15
Packaged: 2019-03-11 20:23:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,242
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13531860
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chibi_nightowl/pseuds/chibi_nightowl
Summary: “Hello, stranger,” Dick says with a saucy smile and runs a gloved hand over the smooth fabric of his skirt, outlining his thigh in the process. He picks up his beer and takes a sip, eyeing the man over the rim. “You must be new in town,” he offers with a wink. “I’d never forget a face like yours.”The man honest to god blushes.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is all Janna's fault. Just saying. 
> 
> Also cross-posted on my tumblr account for a change.

Dick is a performer, through and through. It’s in his blood, is part of the very essence of who he is. But just because he’s on stage dancing his heart out in men’s burlesque show in front of a crowd of rowdy customers doesn’t mean he’s not paying attention to what’s going on around him. Bruce trained him better than that. 

Not that anyone knows he’s a deputy for the wily sheriff. Much of his work here at Stephanie’s saloon is just that. Work. Bartending and running tables when he’s not on stage or rehearsing, but through it all, he keeps an eagle eye out for folks who just don’t look like they belong here. He’s gotten to a point where it’s practically a sixth sense. 

And that sense is screaming at him as his blue gaze lands on the tall man who strides into the saloon and takes a seat at the bar. He looks road weary and dusty like most do in these parts, as does his companion, an equally tall woman with fiery locks barely contained in her long braid. Normally his attention would be on the redhead, especially since she’s dressed in men’s clothes rather than the divided riding skirt that’s more common in these parts, but Dick keeps going back to her dark-haired companion. There’s just something about him that sends a tingle down his spine. 

This warrants further investigation. 

But first, there’s a show to finish. 

When he and the other men are done, they hop off stage and work the crowd. Or rather, Dick works the crowd while the others run off and change. While they’re all part of the entertainment, he’s the only one as comfortable in women’s clothing as he is men’s. And that means more tips and more attention for him. Dick has no problems playing both sides of the fence and Stephanie knows he’s more than capable of taking care of himself if someone gets too handsy. 

One less thing for the saloon owner to worry about. 

Dick slowly makes his way to the bar, stopping here and there as he does to chat. One woman even stopped him to ask where he found the rich blue silk that stands out so vibrantly against the black of his skirt. 

“Had it special ordered from St. Louis,” he says, twirling around so she could see the full effect of it. “No offense to Mr. Pennyworth, but this just ain’t something he keeps in stock down at the general store.” 

“It sure isn’t,” she agreed, her eyes lingering not only on the silk, but also on the ribbed corset in matching colors going up his waist. 

Dick grins and winks at her as he walks off. The corset is strictly for show, as is the little bolero jacket he wears over it. His best friend Wally often teases him for how he looks in costumes like this, but to him, it’s all part of the act. Stephanie doesn’t care what he wears as long as it brings in customers, so he’s allowed free rein. 

As he approaches the bar, he can’t help but like what he sees and wonders if maybe the shiver earlier was simply him picking up on the gorgeous hunk of a man sitting there. From behind, all he can see is broad shoulders, well muscled arms, and a solid trunk of a torso. The man’s jacket falls over the back of the barstool so Dick can’t make out the rest of the package, but so far, things look promising. Time for a closer inspection. 

The stool on the man’s right is open, so Dick flops down with a flourish of silk and lace. “Hey, Steph! Got anything you’d think I like?” he calls out to the busy bartender/owner. The blonde woman knows better than to give him too much alcohol after a show (especially since he has another set in an hour) but dancing and flirting is thirsty work.

“Honey, you like it all,” she replies, dropping a pint of beer in front of him. “Try not to have too much fun in that new skirt of yours.” Steph winks and bustles off, her own purple and black striped dress looking fantastic on her. He’d ordered the silk for hers along with his own. 

Dick salutes her with his glass. Turning, he looks at the two strangers and instantly, his heart starts beating harder. The woman is stunning, but the man…he can’t find words to describe him. His face looks like something out of one of Tim’s history books, the ones about Ancient Rome or Greece. 

Time to turn his flirting up a notch. 

“Hello, stranger,” Dick says with a saucy smile and runs a gloved hand over the smooth fabric of his skirt, outlining his thigh in the process. He picks up his beer and takes a sip, eyeing the man over the rim. The man is dressed for traveling, his dark brown leather jacket shiny with age. A dusty cowboy hat rests on the bar next to an empty shot glass and a mostly full glass of beer. “You must be new in town,” he offers with a wink. “I’d never forget a face like yours.” 

The man honest to god _blushes_. Dick wants to crow in delight as red stains his cheeks. 

“Yeah, Arty and I are just passin’ through.” The man replies as he tries for casual, even running an awkward hand through his black hair while his companion laughs boisterously. He’s young, probably around Dick’s age, but he’s got a white streak in his hair that’s rather eye-catching. 

“Jay, I swear you always act like this whenever anyone hits on you.” The woman, Arty, slaps him hard on the shoulder. She catches Dick’s amused eyes. “Don’t let the blush fool you. He’s had his eye on you since we first walked in.” 

Jay groans and gives Arty a good-natured shove. “Shut it.” 

Dick laughs because this is just too much fun. “If it’s any consolation, I have too.” He takes another swig of beer and holds out his hand. “I’m Dick.” 

The man accepts it and grips it firmly. “Jason, but I go by Jay more often than not.” 

Dick reaches across Jason to shake Arty’s hand too. She also has a very firm grip. “Artemis. Only yahoos like Jay get away with Arty.” 

“Noted. So, what brings you two into town?” Dick settles in for some small talk. He’s got the time but maybe if he plays his cards right, he won’t be crashing into an empty bed tonight. It’s rare that someone gets him this interested this fast, but hopefully Jason won’t be like the others. 

He has a tendency to be attracted to the wrong type, usually with questionable appreciation for the law. Wally and Tim both joke about his poor taste, but Dick only has to remind them that they’re both single and to shut up, that at least he gets laid on occasion. Stephanie doesn’t run a brothel, no sirree, but she doesn’t care (much) what her employees do in their off time. 

“Like I said, we’re just passin’ through,” Jason replies easily as he sips at his beer. “Wanna try and get to Colorado Springs before the end of the month. Heard tell there’s gonna be some hirin’ down there for some merchant trains and we could use the work.” 

Before Dick can probe further, there’s a commotion over by the main entrance. Shouts ring out and Stephanie reaches under the bar for her shotgun. 

“You assholes take it outside!” she shrieks loudly and pumps the shotgun for emphasis. “Now, before I blow someone’s hand off!” 

Dick doesn’t even realize he’s stood and sits back down, but as he does, he catches sight of Jason lowering his jacket back over the gun on his belt. The stock on the revolver is inlaid with pearl. That’s an unusual sight and one that doesn’t exactly fit with the poor cowboy image the man is trying to portray. 

Something isn’t right here. 

He starts talking with Jason and Artemis again, casually flirting and enjoying the crap out of the blushes he gets from the other man. Soon enough, his hour is up and it’s time to get ready for his next show. As he stands, Dick runs a gloved hand over Jason’s lightly stubbled cheek. “Keep your eyes on me,” he whispers and leans in to plant a kiss where his hand just was. Jason looks startled, his deep blue eyes wide as he blushes again. 

Artemis laughs raucously as Dick walks away, making sure to put an extra sway in his step. 

Jason is seriously cute and Dick really wants to find out how far down his neck the man’s blush goes, but he’s still bothered by the sense that something is off about him. He’s halfway through the next set when he figures it out. Only years of performing keep him upright and in character. 

The man sitting at the bar is the Red Hood. 

Bruce had shown him the new wanted posters that arrived with this morning’s post. The sketch doesn’t do the man justice at all, especially since he always wears a red bandana over the lower half of his face and the brim of his black cowboy hat pulled low, but the sketch did mention his deep blue eyes. 

Some additional information about him was passed along only to law enforcement, which Bruce shared with him as well. Like the pearl gripped revolver and the fact that his accomplice is suspected to be a woman. Dick remembers the poster for Artemis being even more vague as she wears a full wrap of faded red around her face and head, leaving only her eyes bare, probably to conceal her feminine features and that massive amount of red hair. 

The pair are wanted in conjunction with over a dozen robberies in the last year. Almost no one is ever seriously hurt but one man was killed when he tried chasing after them. He’d been shot in the shoulder and the impact sent him flying off his horse where he then landed wrong and broke his neck. Accidental to be sure, but murder is murder. 

Dick wants to groan in frustration as he kicks up his legs and dances around the stage. Why does this always happen to _him?_ It’s like he’s one of those magnets that attracts trouble rather than iron shavings. 

But he remembers Jason’s blush as he flirted with him and how sweet he is, even while telling Artemis off for ordering a third beer. This can’t be the same person that has a $500 reward for his capture. 

Additional verification needs to be done first. After all, the sketches for the Red Hood Bandits are iffy at best. 

It doesn’t take long for Dick to rejoin Jason and Artemis after his last performance. Stephanie drops off another beer for him, which he downs quickly. “Care to take a walk, Jay?” he asks with a wink. “I could use some fresh air.” 

Artemis all but pushes Jason off his barstool. “You do too. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.” 

Jason curses and mutters something that Dick doesn’t quite catch, but has his companion laughing uproariously as she slaps his hat on his head and shoves him towards the door. 

Outside, the night air is cool against Dick’s flushed skin and he welcomes the change in temperature as he and Jason stroll down the wooden sidewalk. Jason’s heavy boots jingle slightly as they walk from his spurs. He awkwardly holds out his arm for Dick, who can’t help but laugh lightly at him. “I am a guy, you know. I just wear women’s clothing because it’s fun.” 

“Well, my ma beat it inta me ta always offer my arm to a lady and since the one I travel with never wears a skirt…” Jason’s lips quirk in amusement. 

“I accept then,” Dick replies and takes his arm. The man is taller than him but not by much. Warm too, but in a good way. 

They stroll for a little ways before Jason speaks up again. “Ya know, wanderin’ off with strange men may not be the smartest thing for someone like you ta be doin’.” 

Dick waves off the warning. “Thanks, but I’m more than capable of taking care of myself.” 

“That so?” In the faint light from the moon, Dick catches a glint in Jason’s eyes. 

Challenge accepted. 

Before Jason can react, Dick has him firmly pressed against a wall, out of sight of the street and one of his secreted knives pressed lightly against his throat. “I grew up in a circus,” he breathes into the other man’s throat. “Learned a few other things besides how to put on makeup, kick up my heels, and look fabulous in a dress.” 

“I see that,” Jason replies carefully, not moving in the slightest against Dick’s body, which he thinks is a crying shame. “So what now? You gonna rob me?” 

Dicks smiles into the warm skin and presses his lips firmly against Jason’s fluttering pulse. “I can think of one thing I want to steal from you.” 

“What’s that?”

“This.” Dick slides the knife back into his skirt and presses even more against Jason, capturing his lips in a heated kiss. The man gasps into it, startled, but then lets out one of the sweetest moans he has ever had the privilege to hear. 

Oh, good lord. If Jason is the Red Hood, boy is Dick ever screwed.

 


	2. Chapter 2

Dick stalks into the sheriff’s office the following morning, slamming the door wide open to announce his presence in a grand manner. No one is in the holding cells so he flops down in the hard, wooden chair in front of Bruce’s desk dramatically, placing his booted feet up on the edge.   
  
The sheriff simply raises an eyebrow while Tim, who apparently is here talking to him about something, just laughs.   
  
“Rough night?” the young schoolmaster asks.   
  
“You have no idea.”  
  
“I’m sure you’re about to enlighten us, whether we want you to or not.” Bruce’s sarcasm isn’t lost on Dick.  
  
“Oh, you’ll want to hear this, Bruce,” the young entertainer replies. “You won’t believe who I met last night.”  
  
The sheriff plays along, used to Dick’s antics. “Who?”  
  
“The Red Hood Bandits.”  
  
Tim’s eyes widen and Bruce sits up eagerly. “Tell me everything,” he orders.   
  
Dick pinches the bridge of his nose. “I don’t think you want _all_ the details.” Nope, he doesn’t need to tell his mentor how he gave Jason a blowjob against the wall of the bank the night before and how the man gave him a handjob in return. He was so adorable about it too, so careful not to get his new skirt dirty. That more than anything convinced him that he’s never been with another man before and even a woman is up for debate. But Jason is good with his tongue...  
  
“You slept with one of them, didn’t you?” Tim snickers. He knows him all too well.   
  
“Sleeping implies a bed was involved.”  
  
“Dick,” Bruce sighs impatiently. “Get to the point.”  
  
“Okay, okay.” Dick sits up straight and starts talking. Bruce trained him well, so he starts with the little things he noticed last night and works his way up from there.   
  
“There’s a lot of what ifs there, Dick,” Tim offers when he finishes. The schoolmaster is also one of Bruce’s deputies, but only during times when school is out. Like now apparently. “I can think of a few people I’ve met over the years with a gun like that.”  
  
“Honestly, it’s Artemis that makes me really suspect them. How many women do we know who wander around as cowboys?”   
  
“Cass,” Bruce answers without missing a beat.   
  
Dick will grant him that. His little sister has a mind of her own and much prefers the company of horses and cows to that of people. “Fair enough. Besides her. Going back to the Hoods though, if I’d met Jason by himself, I know I wouldn’t be thinking this way. He’s just too...” he trails off, trying to find the right word.   
  
“Too what?” Tim prods.   
  
“He’s too shy,” Dick finally returns. “Don’t get me wrong,” he continues in a rush. “I think there’s big brain in that skull of his and he knows how to use that gun. But unless he’s the best actor in the world, there’s no mistaking some of his reactions to me last night as anything but shyness.”  
  
Tim chuckles at that. “Dick, I hate to break it to you, but you can be overwhelming sometimes. Even after getting to know you.”   
  
“He probably has never been hit on by a man in a dress before,” Bruce adds. Dick’s costume choices are often the talk of the small town, especially when he parades around in them during the day rather than just on stage.   
  
“I look better in a dress than most women do, even with these shoulders.” Dick shrugs them for emphasis.   
  
“You do,” Bruce agrees. “But back to the point, there’s enough circumstantial evidence to at least bring them in for questioning.”   
  
“Let me do it,” Dick says in a rush. “If you show up, you’ll probably scare them off. But they know me already. Perhaps I can get them to let something slip.” His conscience is what brought him in here today, even though he knew this would be the likely outcome. Bruce is tenacious and sharp as a tack. It’s part of what makes him such a good sheriff.   
  
“They still here?” the man asks.   
  
“Yeah,” Dick nods. “Said they’re giving their horses a rest for a day.” He’s half convinced Jason made that up on the spot last night as he panted into the skin of his neck.  
  
Bruce looks like he wants to take matters into his own hands, fidgeting as he is. It’s been slow recently so Dick can’t blame him for wanting some action.   
  
Tim is still laughing quietly at him. “You sure know how to pick them.”  
  
“Like you’re one to talk,” he retorts teasingly. “I seem to recall the massive pile of horseshit you stepped in recently with Stephanie.”   
  
His friend groans. “You’re the one who told me to talk to her.”  
  
“So I did. But from the way I heard it, you talked _at_ her, not to her. Big difference.” Dick nods sagely. He knows his boss well and also knows the blonde woman is absolutely smitten with the schoolmaster. Steph has standards though, so Tim has some hoops to fumble his way through first before she’ll forgive him.   
  
“I don’t know how you make it look so easy.” Tim complains.   
  
“I know people. It’s what I do.” He shrugs and eyes Bruce. “Which is why I want you to trust me with the Red Hood.”  
  
“It’s hard to trust a man who wears women’s clothing for a living.” The sheriff isn’t serious though and they all know it. He trusts Dick more than anyone.   
  
Dick runs his hands down his normal shirt and vest and pointedly looks at his pants. “There’s a time and a place for everything.”  
  
Bruce sighs and shakes his head as he gives in. “Just be careful. One man is dead because of them, however accidental it may have been.”  
  
“I’m always careful.”  
  
*****  
Okay, maybe that’s a lie. What he’s doing right now? Definitely not being careful.   
  
But it’s just him and Jason. His partner Artemis is back in town already drinking and trying to get Stephanie to let her try her hand at the piano. Dick knows he can handle himself with the other man and he knows it too.   
  
So really, what is there to worry about?  
  
Just two grown men out for an easy afternoon ride. Nothing to see here, folks.   
  
But Dick wants to see more. Oh, does he ever want to.   
  
Jason met him on the edge of town a little bit ago, his heavy jacket discarded in favor of a vest and a mostly clean shirt. It’s probably the cleanest one he has and bears distinct signs of being rolled up in a saddle bag, even if there were some other efforts made to freshen up. His stubble is gone for one, which Dick thinks is a crying shame. His hair is clean too. His camp must be along the creek that wends its way through the surrounding countryside.   
  
As they ride along, Dick can’t help but notice the little glances his companion shoots at him. “See something you like?” he finally asks, stretching in his saddle for emphasis and chuckling as Jason’s eyes grow wide.   
  
“Yeah,” the man replies. “But I’m just tryin’ ta figure out which I like better. The pants or the skirt.”  
  
“I prefer the skirt,” Dick replies breezily. “The blue does amazing things for my eyes. But there are benefits to pants too.” He shifts pointedly in his saddle. “I can ride better for one.”  
  
Jason’s ears turn red at the implication. It’s a wonderful color on him, one that Dick is mad he missed out on last night when they were fumbling around in the dark. He also needs to keep stop thinking with his other head and focus on trying to get information out of Jason and his recent whereabouts.   
  
He wants so very much for his suspicions to be wrong.   
  
Small talk is easy for Dick, especially when he concentrates. He starts by talking a bit about his early years in the circus, asking a few probing questions to Jason, which he answers at least somewhat truthfully. The man hedges about where exactly he’s from, but he does learn the gun he carries is all he’s got left of his mom. Apparently, it was hers and she wasn’t afraid to use it. 

They move on to other topics as they ride, Dick steering them towards a small canyon he knows of, one that’s private and has some massive old cottonwoods that tower over a bend in the creek that’s often deep enough for some swimming. He’s still up in the air about that; it all depends on Jason. 

“What’s going to happen if Colorado Springs doesn’t pan out?” Dick asks finally, breaking a long silence where he just watches Jason ride. He’s comfortable in the saddle, make no mistake. 

The man heaves a massive sigh and shrugs. “I dunno,” he admits. “Could head down into Arizona Territory, but there’s all that shit goin’ on there with the Apaches. Probably keep headin’ west, see what California is like. I don’t have the patience to dig for gold, but I’m sure there’s plenty of work for guardin’ it.” 

Or robbing it. But the more Dick listens to Jason speak, the more he becomes convinced this is just a simple man trying to make his way in the world. There’s an honesty, even an earnestness, to his speech that’s hard to ignore. 

“What about Artemis?” he prods. “She doesn’t seem like the type to settle down.” Dick takes the lead as they enter the canyon, the shade from the mesquite already welcome. 

Jason laughs at that. “No, she’s sure as hell not. To be honest, she’s lookin’ for someone who stole somethin’ important from her family.” 

“What happened?” Dick can’t help but be curious, and turns in his saddle to look at his companion but Jason shakes his head. 

“Not my story to tell. It’s a doozy though, I’ll tell ya that.” 

Dick lets it be, even though his instincts scream at him to latch on and pump the man for more. The robberies the Red Hood bandits are wanted for aren’t the typical bank robberies that one hears about on the news sheets or the wire. They have a tendency to go after antiques rather than money. Old weapons for the most part, things that aren’t as easy to pawn or sell. 

What are they looking for? 

Jason lets out a low whistle as they make their way through the gap and onto the canyon floor. There’s a small waterfall at the far end where the creek drops down into the gap which helps keep the air cool even in the summer, but it’s the large pool of water that Dick has his eyes on. He found this place by accident one day with Cass and it’s turned into a favorite for him. Privacy is nice, but the water is deep enough he can dive from the cliff walls. 

It’s the only time he gets to fly anymore. 

Dick gives his horse enough rein to graze and Jason does the same, following after him like they’re on a casual Sunday stroll. Under the biggest of the cottonwoods, Dick sets down his saddle bag and takes out a blanket, shaking it out over the ground. He’s still uncertain over what he should do, but he can’t resist the shy little smile Jason gives him when he sits down next to him. 

Their mouths meet tentatively, slowly, with none of the rush from the night before. Out here in the sun and the shade and the water, it’s just them. Dick can’t get enough of the way Jason tastes, licking and lapping his way down the man’s muscled body. In turn, Jason seems uncertain what to do with his hands and keeps grasping at the blanket. 

Dick straddles his waist easily and peels off his vest and shirt, reveling in the way Jason watches every move, etching it into his mind’s eye. He grabs the man’s hand and drags those fingers down his chest. “Touch me,” he orders. “Anywhere. Everywhere.” 

Jason is careful at first, but when Dick moans after he grabbed his ass too hard, caution is thrown to the wind. Clothing is discarded, boots tossed into the scrub to be found later. Their coupling has a desperation to it, a certain ferocity that drives Dick wild in ways he’s never experienced before. He’s no stranger to sex, with men or women, but there is something about Jason that hits every single little thing that turns him on. He rides him with abandon, taking him deep into his body with the help of another little item he ordered from St. Louis that Mr. Pennyworth would never carry in his shop. 

Afterwards, they lay together on the blanket, panting heavily as they come down from their respective highs. Dick stares up into the branches above them, at the green leaves and little bits of blue from the sky peeking down. 

“God damn,” Jason swears, stretching in a way that captures Dick’s attention. “I’ll level with ya. Never done that with a man before.” 

Dick grins, loving the fact he’d been right. “I kinda assumed.” 

Instead of saying anything, Jason takes Dick’s hand and presses a soft kiss to his knuckles. There’s a sad look in his eyes, one that has Dick sobering immediately. He knows what’s coming. “You have to leave in the morning, don’t you?” 

The man nods, his breath warm over Dick’s fingers. “Yeah. We really shoulda left today, but Arty talked me into stayin’. Said I needed to have some fun for a change.” 

“And did you?” 

Jason’s eyes are intent on his as he tangles his fingers with Dick’s. “The best.” 

Dick wants to shout. To yell and carry on that it isn’t fair, that this man is possibly the best thing to ever happen to him, even if he is the Red Hood. But he doesn’t, because that’s not what he does. He knows all too well that you have to make the most out of what life gives you and if he only gets this day with Jason, then so be it. 

“The sun won’t be down for a few more hours,” he offers, squeezing Jason’s hand for emphasis. “We still have time.”

“We do.”

 


	3. Chapter 3

Early the next morning, Dick sits quietly by the smoldering coals of the campfire Jason had made the night before, watching as Jason kneels by the creek and washes up, bare as the day he was born. This chill in the air doesn’t seem to faze him in the slightest. Neither of them had planned to stay the night in the secluded little canyon, but one thing had led to another (and another, and another) and before they knew it, daylight had faded into night. 

His stomach grumbles, but Dick pushes his hunger aside. There’s more important things to think about. Like what the hell is he going to tell Bruce? That he spent the last day or so thoroughly investigating Jason? Well, that isn’t really a lie. He _had_ been thorough in his inspection of the Red Hood, mapping his body inch by inch in the late afternoon sun and later by the light of their fire. 

“Penny for your thoughts?” 

Dick jerks his head up and stares at Jason as he sits gingerly on their shared blanket. He’d taken a turn as the bottom their last time making love and is still feeling the effects of it. The man cocks his head to the side and gazes inquisitively at him. His eyes are such a deep shade of blue. 

“Just…trying to figure what to do next.” 

Jason chuckles at that. “It should probably involve pants.” He reaches for his and shakes them out. 

Okay, that’s definitely a necessity. Dick looks around for his and finds them on a bush a few feet away. He rolls over on the blanket and crawls towards them. Behind him, Jason groans. 

Now it’s Dick’s turn to chuckle as he shakes his ass at him. “I don’t think you have time for round…umm…” He’s honestly forgotten how many times they lost themselves in each other last night. 

“No, I don’t,” Jason replies. “Arty’s gonna kill me as it is.” 

Dick grabs his pants and shakes them out too. He puts them on before turning to face the other man. He’s still naked on the blanket, watching him closely. There’s a pensive look on his face, like he’s locked in some internal debate of his own. 

Jason bites his lip and hangs his head a moment before lifting it again. “Dick, I got somethin’ I need ta get off my chest.” 

He sighs and kneels in front of him. “Jason, I know.” 

The bandit is obviously startled. “Know what?” 

“I know you and Artemis are the Red Hood Bandits.” 

This time, Jason jerks back. “The fuck?” 

Dick starts talking. “I’m not just a pretty face who dresses in women’s clothing. I’m also a sheriff’s deputy. It’s not widely known, but we use my position at the saloon to keep an eye people who are passing through.” 

Jason stiffens as his eyes grow flinty. “Seems like you’re pretty thorough then. Ya get to know all your criminals this well?” 

“No,” Dick replies honestly. “I know everyone jokes that I always fall for the wrong kind of person, but…” he trails off and swallows hard before continuing. “I’ve never fallen as hard or as fast as I have for you.” 

“Dick,” Jason tries to say, but he raises a hand. 

“Let me finish.” He takes a deep breath. “Whatever you and Artemis are after, fine. Keep looking, but when you do find it, what next? What will you do then?” 

Jason still looks like a startled deer but he doesn’t bolt. “I dunno.” He shakes his head, black hair falling over his forehead. “I don’t exactly have a lot of prospects.” 

“If you could be anything, what would it be?” The question slips out before Dick can stop it. 

“Kinda an odd question for a sheriff’s deputy to be askin’ a bandit. Shouldn’t you be taken my measurements for a hangman’s noose?” Jason bites back defensively. 

“I think I took your _measurement_ quite well last night.” Dick winks at him and there’s that blush again. He’s going to miss it so much. “I’m not telling Bruce about you and Artemis beyond what I did yesterday. I told him my suspicions and that I was going to investigate further. As far as the law is concerned, the two of you are just passing through.” 

Jason stares at him, flashes of different emotions flickering across his face as he takes in everything. “And you?” he finally asks. 

Dick settles back on his bare heels, the position easy for him to maintain as long as he needs to. “I’m just a guy who’s fallen for another guy and is about to have his heart broken because he can’t stay.” 

He can feel it starting already as Jason pulls away and puts on his pants, hiding the heavy muscle of his thighs. But he lets the man have his space, knowing he’s dealing with a revelation he didn’t quite expect. 

Jason is fully dressed before he finally turns his attention back on Dick. “A shopkeeper,” is what he says. 

Dick doesn’t understand right away but then he remembers his earlier question. “Yeah? You’d be good at it. I saw you bargaining with Mr. Pennyworth yesterday before we rode out. He appreciates a good haggler.” 

“That’s what he said after,” Jason offers before he sighs heavily. “Dick, I…I wish I could stay here with you. I really do. But I promised Arty I’d help her and…” 

Standing, Dick smoothly closes the distance between them. “I understand,” he says, cupping Jason’s cheek and drawing him in so that his lips barely brush Jason’s as he keeps speaking. “I respect that. Just…if you ever come back this way…” 

“I’ll find ya.” Jason’s lips slam into his and it’s all Dick can do not to drown in the raw passion and fire that’s being unleashed on him. He’s left gasping when Jason finally lets go and steps back. “That’s for remembrance. Don’t forget me, Dickiebird.” 

“Never.” 

~*~*~*~* 

It’s with a much heavier heart that Dick makes his way into the sheriff’s office a couple hours later. He’s dragging, both physically and mentally but more than anything, his heart _hurts_. What he’s thought were broken hearts before have nothing on this one.   
  
Dick slumps into the rickety chair without his usual bounce and flair and just waits. He can already feel Bruce’s eyes on him from where he’s dealing with a drunk who spent the night sleeping it off in jail. It’s too early for Tim to be around.   
  
Yesterday afternoon and night are going down as some of the best times of his life. Not just because of the sex, which admittedly was pretty damn good, but because of Jason himself. He knows he’s made the right decision in letting him and Artemis go, but convincing Bruce of the same is a whole other story.

  
Dick tears himself out of his thoughts when the sheriff leans against the front of the desk, arms crossed loosely over his chest and his badge of office pinned prominently on his vest. He stares up at him and braces himself for the disappointment to come.   
  
“I let him go,” Dick says quietly.   
  
Bruce shakes his head, his expected reaction clear as day. But his words surprise him. “I knew you would. When you find good in someone, it’s next to impossible for you to see otherwise.”  
  
“I know, but Jason’s different,” he returns quickly and launches into an abbreviated version of what they talked about. “Given time, and if they ever find whatever it is that was stolen from Artemis and her family, he _wants_ to live a quiet and normal life. Hell, I even think he would like living here.”  
  
“But you won’t be here,” Bruce replies evenly. “You already have your tickets to Chicago. You leave in three days.”   
  
“I know,” Dick groans. “I know. I didn’t tell him. At all. But he won’t be through here again anytime soon so maybe...”  
  
Maybe he’ll return having fulfilled his dream of making it big in the theater and Jason will be here waiting, having completed his quest to help Artemis like a knight in a fairy tale.   
  
Bruce stands and draws him up into an awkward hug. His hugs are always awkward, it’s just the way he is but Dick latches on like he’s all that’s keeping him from being swept away. “You always fall so hard for people but I’ve never seen you like this before. Jason must be really special.”  
  
“He is,” Dick sniffles. “But he’s got his life and I’ve got mine. Who knows, maybe one day we’ll meet again.”  
  
“So they’ve left then?”  
  
“This morning, early. I watched them ride out.” He’d followed Jason back to his camp with Artemis and put up with her good-natured ribbing while he finished packing the rest of his gear.  
  
“I see,” Bruce replies in a noncommittal tone.  “Colorado Springs, right?”   
  
“Bruce,” Dick says warningly. “Just stop it. For once, let him, let _them_ , go.”  
  
“Fine,” the sheriff huffs. Dick doesn’t have to see his face to know he’s put out by his request. “Let’s hope I don’t have to arrest him if he does come back this way.”  
  
Dick punches Bruce in the shoulder, hard, but he’s laughing as he draws away from him. Laughs because the only alternative is to cry.   
  
~*~*~*~*

A few days later, Tim and Stephanie stand with Dick at the train station as they wait for the eastward bound steam engine to arrive. Bruce had made his goodbyes already, preferring to do them in private where the townsfolk wouldn’t see him tear up. An always stoic Mr. Pennyworth had pressed a bundle with some of his delicious home cooking on him as he passed by the general store on his way to the station. At least he won’t be hungry for a while.   
  
Dick wants to laugh at his two friends. They’re so hyper aware of each other but not doing a damn thing that it’s just ridiculous. Fine, if this is how they’re gonna be, then he’s got to take steps.   
  
He slings his arms over the shoulders of his two friends and holds them close. “Okay, you two. Listen here. If there’s one thing I’ve learned from my most recent heartbreak is that you’ve got to enjoy what you’ve got while you have it. And you...” he shakes them both for emphasis. “Are both stupid crazy for each other. Steph, Tim will always step in horseshit when he talks to you. That’s just the way it is. Tim, Steph will always yell and threaten to shoot you when you screw up. Or throw whiskey in your face. My point is, just stop dancing around each other and start courting! When I come home, there better be a ring on that finger!”  
  
By the end of his impassioned little speech, Tim is the color of Dick’s red bandana, the one he’s been sporting since Jason left. Steph is almost the same shade but she shoves him hard instead as she worms her way out from under his arm.   
  
“Dick!” she screeches. “You jackass! Mind your own business.”   
  
“But this is the last time I can get in your business!”  
  
Tim tugs at his arm and Dick lets go, allowing the young man to have his freedom. “Dick, really now. Let us figure it out on our own. I’m not completely incompetent here and,” he pauses and casts a shy glance at Stephanie, “I have faith we’ll figure it out.”  
  
“Exactly,” Steph chimes in and smacks Dick on his head, dislodging his hat. “Now butt out.”  
  
“You like my butt.” Dick spins around, even if the effect is lost without his skirt. That’s carefully packed away in his trunk.   
  
“I’ll miss your butt,” she replies with a hint of real sorrow. “Your butt made me money.”  
  
“Perhaps you can get Timmy here to shake his for you.”  
  
“Hey!” the schoolmaster protests even as his love interest eyes him speculatively. “I already have two jobs, I don’t need a third.”  
  
The sound of a train whistle interrupts a reply. Dick leans out over the edge of the platform and spots his train in the distance. Time to cue the butterflies. He rarely gets nervous but here and now, he does. “Oh, boy,” he mutters.   
  
His friends start chattering at him.   
  
“Now remember what the big city is like. All crowded and full of pickpockets. Be careful with your things and don’t keep your money in an obvious spot.” Steph starts adjusting his jacket and the bandanna tied around his neck, fidgeting nervously.   
  
Tim isn’t any better as he holds his hat in his hands and rubs the rim nervously, spinning it through his long fingers. “You’ve got your boarding house information, right? And the contact at the theater? What about...”  
  
Dick raises his hands and gently dislodges Steph. She’s twisted the knot at his throat so tight he can barely breath. “Tim, I’ve got all that right here.” He pats his jacket, feeling the papers on the inside pocket. “Steph, I’ve lived in cities before. I’m not that green.”  
  
“I know, I’m just worried.” She wraps her arms around him in a hug so tight he loses the breath he just got back. “You be careful, Dick Grayson. You better make it big or else.”  
  
Dick wisely doesn’t ask _or else what?_  
  
Steph lets go and Tim steps up. His hug is no less strong. “Just be happy,” he says in a low tone, his voice choked up with emotion. “And make it all the way.”  
  
“I refuse to do anything less,” Dick replies, blinking away tears of his own. Tim is practically his brother and he loves Steph almost like his own sister. “I better be getting that wedding invitation soon.”  
  
Tim chuckles weakly at that. They both know it’ll be a long time before Dick comes home, long after any wedding occurs.   
  
The train pulls up, steam and smoke and all that glossy black of the engine. A few more quick hugs while a couple of people disembark but in a blink of an eye, his trunk is onboard and Dick is handing over his ticket as he climbs aboard his passenger car. The seat is uncomfortable but no one is next to him so he’ll be able to sprawl soon enough. He pushes the glass window down and leans out, waving with all his might as the train starts pulling away from the small station. Tim and Steph run to the end of the platform, returning the gesture with broad waves of their own.   
  
All too soon, they grow smaller and smaller as the train chugs along the rails, taking Dick further away from the second most important home in his life. He settles back in the bench seat and thinks about the last few days.   
  
Jason’s face comes to mind instantly and he does his best to brush it aside. What they had was good. Perhaps the best of anything Dick’s ever had. But it was doomed from the start and they both knew it. No point in wishing for one day or someday. If their paths ever cross again, and they’re both unattached, then Dick will gladly see what happens next.   
  
But until that day arrives, he’s got a life to live and a dream to pursue.   
  
With those thoughts in mind, Dick settles in, pulls his hat down over his eyes, and falls into a light doze, already dreaming of that future.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Westerns and cowboy stories tend to have a bittersweet ending, which is what I went for here. I grew up on these (thanks, Mom!) and when I started writing this, I knew it wasn't going to end in the traditional happy sense. 
> 
> For those who want a happy ending...convince me to write it. ;)


End file.
